Delivery apparatus for postmarking-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M J. DOLPHIN. DELIVERY APPARATUS EOE POSTMAEKING MACHINES.

No. 467,682. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

Y 2 sheets-sheet 2.

`(No Model.)

M. J. DOLPHIN. DELIVERY APPARATUS FOB. POSTMARKING MACHINES.

No. 467,682. Patented Jan. 26, 1892.

UNITED NSTATES. PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEIV J. DOLPHIN, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK.

DELIVERY APPARATUS FOR POSTMARKING-MACl-.IINES- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Noi 467,682, dated January 26, 1892.

i Appiiaaon nearetruary 15, 1890. seating. 840,626. (Nomade.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, MATTHEW J. DoLrHIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivery Apparatus for Postmarking-Machines; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and enact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a delivery mechanism designed more particularly to be employed as an attachment to machines for postmarking letters, cards, packages, &'c., and canceling the stamps thereon, though it is equally well adapted for use with other machines.

It has for its object theimprovement of the stacking-machine, which is the subject of my application for a patent, filed September 14, 1889, Serial No. 323,945, whereby the letters and packages passing through the canceling and post-marking machine are received by the stacker and packed in an efficient and or derly manner upon an adjacent tray.

The invention embraces a guide passage or chute, into which the letters are projected, a deflector for guiding them from said passage or chute, a flier-conveyer for receiving the lettersfrom the defiector and placing them one against the other on the tray, and a se.- ries of automatic push-bars which press the letters as they are delivered from the f1ierconveyer against a follower, sliding along the i receiving table or tray.

The invention consists in the several novel details of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described, and set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved device with the outer portion of the tray broken away and with the shield removed from around the working parts. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line :o :1; of Fig. l and showing the tray and follower in elevation.l Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing the construction of the push plate 'and bar with its operating-cam, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre spending parts in all theviews.

A represents a small portion of the table of the letter-marking machine, which machine may be of any desired construction. Tlheletters pass in a longitudinal upright position through the feed-rollers and then through the marking and impression rollers of the machine, and are fed therefrom in the direction of the arrow.

The guide passage or chute B comprises two parallel plates secured in a vertical position at a proper distance apart., Fig. 2. It is open at the bottom and at the end adjacent to the marking-machine and closed at the opposite end. From the ends of the guidechute depend arms b b', to which are secured avrod C, which passes through a bracket C', secured at the rear of the plate D.

To the edge of the table A is secured a rest c, and to the side frame of the stacker a rest c', Fig. l, in which rests are supported the ends of the rod C when the guide-chute is in position for work. When so desired, the chute may be slid away from the table until the depending arm b comes in contact with the bracket O', and the chute may be swung backward and downward, the bracket and rod Cforming a hinge-joint. The chute may thus be moved out of the way to give access to the parts beneath. The outer end of the chute is supported on the side frame of the stacker, and when in working position the open end rests on alug on the edge of the machinetable.

On the frame of the stacker is mounted the detlector D, extending vertically downward from one side of the open bottom of the guidechute B, Fig. 2, and having an offset d eX- tending under the chute and inclined toward the receiving-tray G. From this offset the deflector is again vertical to a step d", and thence again vertical to the base of the tray. On this step are mounted a series of triangular guideblocks L, the outer faces of which are inclined toward the tray.

'In the rear of the central vertical part of the deector D there is journaled in the framework the shaft E of flier-conveyer F. The shaft bears at one end a pulley E', to which rotating motion may be applied from any convenient part of the main machine. On the shaft E are mounted anumber of hubbed disks f, to each of which is secured a series of curved lingers, which, in the rotation of the shaft, extend through slots CZ cut for them in lthe detlector-plate D.

In bearings slightly inclined in t'ne guideblocks L are mounted pressure-bars K, to the rear ends of which are secured upright contactplates M, having slightlycurved bearing surfaces m, Fig. 3, and provided with side wings or ilan ges m', which embrace cams N, carried by the shaft E and keep said contact-plates lin a vertical position. On the bars K, between the deflector D and the plates M, are placed spiral springs, which, keeping said plates in contact with the cams, serve to retract said bars within their bearings.

The table or tray G may be of any desired construction and supported in any suitable manner, with its inner edge adjacent to the deflector D. It is here shown as having side flanges C, and downwardly inclined to facilitate the movement of the stacked letters over it.

Above the sides of the tray are supported guide-rods I 1. On one of these, as I, is mounted a sliding bracket II, the vertical arms of which embrace said rod. To the bracket is secured one end of the follower G', the other end of which bears an open sleeve, resting on the guide-rod I. The body of the bracket carries a spring 7L, the frictional bearing of which on rod I is adjusted by a set- Screw h'.

In order to secure the horizontal position of the letters as they are fed out from the marking-machine into the guide passage or chtite B, so that they may drop squarely from the chute when free of the machine, one of the walls of the chute is provided on its lower edge with a ilangeb, taperinglongitudinally, Fig. 1, and having its face beveled or curved, Fig. 2.

In the operation of the mechanism the letters, cards,packages, tbc., issuing from the marking-machine are projected into the guide passage or chute B, their front ends being supported by the flange b until they are entirely free, when they drop upon the dellector D, the inclined set-off cl whereof directs each letter sidewise from beneath the open bottom of the chute and out of the way of a succeeding letter. Thence they fall before the ilier-conveyer F, the lingers of which press them successively forward into the receivingtray, stacking them against the follower G. At each rotation of the shaft E the cams N, acting upon the plates M, force outward the presser-bars K, by which the stack of letters accumulated before the follower G is, with the follower, driven outward on the tray, leaving open space at the entrance thereto for succeeding letters. When the follower nears the lower end of the tray, or whenever desired, the follower may be swung upon the rod I, free of the stack, its bracket H pushed upward on the rod, and the follower again lowered to the tray adjacenty to the flier-conveyer to support another stack, while that below the follower may be removed without disturbing the operation of the mechanism. A removable shield covers and protects the {lierconveyer.

The general construction of the guide passage or chute, the deflector, the ilier-conveyer, and the tray and follower and the combinations thereof with the stamping or marking machine and with each each other are not herein claimed, as those matters are the subject of my former application, hereinbefore mentioned; but

1. The combination, with the table of a postmarking-machine and a letter-stacking apparatus, substantially as described, of a guidecliute pivotally mounted above the latter.

2. The combination, with the table of a postmarking-machine and a letter-stacking apparatus, of a guide-chute connecting the two and mounted above the latter, substantially as described, so that it may be slid longitudinally and thrown over, as on a pivot, as set forth.

3. The guide passage or chute having arms carrying a rod C, combined with the bracket (1', centrally supporting said rod, and the rests c c', whereby said chute is supported in working position and made movable longitudinally and laterally, as on a hinge, substantially as set forth.

4. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the rotating lller-conveyer and the reciprocating pressure bars, substantially as described.

5. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the rotating flier-conveyer, the reciprocating presser-bars, the receiving-tray, and the yielding follower, substantially as described.

G. In a letter-stacker, the combination, with the deflector having step d and guide-blocks L, of the presser-bars K and their-actuatingcams, substantially as described.

. 7. In a letter-stacker, the combination of the shaft E, carrying the flier-conveyer tingers and the cams N, the presser-bars K, and their springs and bearing-plates, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the shaft carrying the Ilier-conveyer fingers and cams, the deector slotted for said fingers and having guide-blocks, the presser-bars mounted therein, and the springs and bearing-plates on said bars, substantially as described.

9. The combination of a block L and a presser-bar K, bearing an upright flanged plate M, with a cam N, working between the flanges, and a spring-keeping the plate in IOO Contact with the cam, substantially as de- Intestimonywhereof Iafxmysignaturen scribed. presence of two witnesses. 10. The combination of the guide-chute, Y the slotted deiector having a step and gude- MATTHEW J' DGLPHIN' v 5 blocks, the rotating flier-conveyer, the reeipvWitnesses:

roeating presser-bars, and the receiving-hay, HENRY SULLIVAN, Substantially as described. v C. E. HARTUNG. 

